This invention relates to a portable water tank made of a flaccid material that can be easily hand carried or backpacked by a firefighter when combatting forest fires, brush fires or the like.
Portable or backpackable water tanks that are capable of operating in association with hand-held pumps have been used by firefighters for quite some time in combatting remote forest or brush fires. The tanks are typically made of metal or a flaccid material, such as high strength neoprene, which allows the bag to be collapsed for easy storage when not in use. The collapsible tanks have a further advantage over their metal counterparts because they weigh less for a given capacity and are thus less tiring to carry. The collapsible tanks, however, are more difficult to handle in the field, particularly where they are being filled from lakes, ponds or other sources of water. The flaccid bags tend to remain in a collapsed condition when immersed in water and the wet bag is difficult to grasp and lift when it is filled to capacity.
Typically, collapsible water tanks are manufactured from one or more sheets of neoprene that are glued together at the seams to create a closed bag configuration. A filler hole having a closure cap is connected into the top section of the bag while a quick disconnect coupling is mounted in the bottom section thereof. A hand-held pump is attached to the coupling by which the firefighter can direct a spray of water upon a desired target. A carrying handle and a pair of shoulder straps are generally attached to the bag by means of tabs that are glued to the bag panels. The adhesive joints at the tabs and at the bag seams represent weak points in the bag construction which can fail, particularly when the bags become aged. Failure usually occurs during a fire fight, when failure can be least tolerated. Failure of the water bags can, under certain conditions, pose a danger to the firefighter's safety, and impair his or her ability to effectively combat the fire.